Munster senior hurling ticket prices to increase

Council set to endorse rise to fund playing facility projects

Supporters queue for tickets before the 2019 Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Final match between Limerick and Tipperary at LIT Gaelic Grounds in Limerick. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

The Munster Council are set to increase adult ticket prices for their forthcoming senior hurling championship as they look to fund a series of capital projects in the six counties.

Stand admission for matches from April 21 are expected to jump from €20 for Munster SHC round-robin games. Stand tickets for the final are currently priced at €40. In 2018, tickets for the inaugural round-robin fixtures were €25 when bought on the day of the game.

Last year’s competition accrued record gate receipts of €5.4 million but attendances are expected to be down this year as Walsh Park is available to Waterford again. They played their home games in FBD Semple Stadium last year. Both opening round games on April 21, Clare v Limerick in Ennis and Waterford v Cork in Walsh Park, are expected to sell out.

A meeting of the council’s management committee later this month will finalise the ticket prices as they look to subvent a series of infrastructural projects across the province. “The reality is we have a lot of commitments in the coming years, €7.2m of funding for centres of excellence and various other facilities across the six counties,” said Munster GAA chief executive Kieran Leddy “For example, Kerry are starting their artificial pitch at Currans, there is work at Caherlohan in Clare as there is in Mick Neville Park in Rathkeale.

“We are looking at ticket prices as it’s really the only way we can generate revenue. Kids will remain the same at €5 and 25% to 30% of our crowds are now made up of children.” 

 

Leddy also highlighted the €3.5m to €4m that will be required at FBD Semple Stadium “just to maintain it… it won’t add anything for players or spectator facilities” and phase two of Walsh Park where new dressing rooms will be constructed.

He continued: “We have a huge number of commitments including 52 full-time games development staff, €1.6m in club development grants and playing facilities is going to be a real priority for us. The unavailability of pitches has become a major issue, we have seen that difficulty and we have to develop a network of artificial pitches. Not a huge number of them but enough around the province.

“Each costs around €1.5m and whether they are GAA-owned, in a partnership with a third party or on a municipal level they are needed and using them incurs considerable charges. They’re going to be vital in the years ahead especially at schools levels. Right now, 40% of all schools games have been played on artificial pitches.” 

A feasibility study is also being done on building a Munster GAA dome similar to Connacht’s in Bekan outside Ballyhaunis in Co Mayo. “That will be a big investment but some of what counties are planning is required just to stand still,” noted Leddy. “They are looking at spending €25m on playing and training facilities over the next five years.” 

The GAA are currently considering increasing their All-Ireland senior championship ticket prices including the final where stand admission could jump from €90 to €100.